You know how you always say how much you love San Juan County and how grateful you are to live here? You know how you feel when you come home from a trip off the island and the ferry touches the dock and you think, “Ah, home”? You know how you think to yourself, “I’d just like to do something wonderful for this community that would last for years and years”? Well folks, here’s your chance.

As most of us who love the islands know, San Juan County has a severe lack of affordable homes for families and workers in need of adequate housing. Private non-profits simply can’t raise enough funds to meet the needs of local residents. Prospective teachers, tradespeople, emergency workers, caregivers and others simply can’t find housing that is affordable and have to turn down jobs. These are workers the rest of us depend on. Revenue from Proposition 1, the home fund, on the November ballot, would help fund projects to create local, permanently affordable homes. You can help make that happen.

The home fund will be funded by a one-time tax paid by the buyer at the time of a real estate sale: a 0.5 percent real estate excise tax or REET, not an ongoing property tax. This REET will sunset in 12 years, at which time the voters will decide whether to re-authorize it. Please vote yes for homes, yes on Proposition 1.

Susan Grout

San Juan Island